ORPHAN

A film by Arnaud des Pallières

With
Adèle Haenel, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Solène Rigot, Gemma Arterton
Jalil Lespert, Nicolas Duvauchelle, Sergi Lopez

111 min - France - French/English – 2016

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SYNOPSIS

Four moments in the lives of four female characters.

A little girl from the countryside, playing a game of hide and seek that turns to
tragedy.
A teenager, caught in an endless succession of runaways, men and mishaps,
because anything is better than her desolate family home.
A young woman who moves to Paris and has a brush with disaster.
The grown-up at last, an accomplished woman, who thought she was safe from her
own past.

Gradually, these characters come together to form a single heroine.

ARNAUD DES PALLIÈRES

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Orphan comes from my desire of stepping out of myself. In January 2010, I asked
Christelle Berthevas to put on paper the details concerning her childhood and her youth:
a little girl and a teenager living in the countryside; a young woman moving to Paris; an
adult committed to her couple and her working life. I knew how cruel and dark this
beginning of life had been and I wanted to make the viewer experience a woman’s fight
for her life and her freedom. I make movies in order to experience other lives than mine.
As I was entering for the first time in a woman’s skin, it was important for me to find
inspiration from a real story and not a novel.

Reaching a certain age, one can look back and find out that everything around has
changed. The places, the people, the habits. Our life is made out of several lives. Our being
out of several beings. As the poet Walt Whitman said: “I am large, I contain multitudes”.
The central figure of an autobiographical story can’t be the same whether she’s six,
thirteen, twenty or thirty years old. Therefore, we imagined a film divided in four periods:
childhood, adolescence, youth and adulthood. Just like a Russian doll, Renée must be
opened in order to find Sandra, Sandra to find Karine, Karine to find Kiki, the six years old
little girl whose life turns upside down during an innocent hide-and-seek game. The hard
core of the story. The black sun shining over an entire life.

The spectator will quickly understand the idea of the film: four actresses playing four
periods of a woman’s life. They don’t really look the same. But why make them look the
same when each age likes to claim its identity and define itself in opposition to the
previous one? The coherence of the character is the only thing that matters, its continuity
through four different actresses. It’s like real life, where the woman will be the same and
yet different. “It’s you here, on this picture? I don’t recognize you!” It is her. And it is not
her. Like in real life…

I stand for a cinema that takes the responsibility of representing the world, as close as
possible of reality. A fiction cinema that knows that a certain documentary credibility
guarantees strength and duration to the film. In front of Orphan, I have the feeling I have
put my work into the service of a story that is more than just fiction and that doesn’t
belong to me. The story of a woman’s fight for her life and her freedom.

Arnaud des Pallières, August 4th 2016.

DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY

Born in Paris in 1961, Arnaud des Pallières started drama classes at 16 years old. After
studying literature, he directed several drama plays. As a cinema student, he invited Gilles
Deleuze to present a lecture and shot Gilles Deleuze: What is the Creative Act (1988). He
directed a dozen of short movies including La Mémoire d’un Ange (1989), Before After
(1993), The Red Things (1994). His first feature film, Drancy Avenir (1996), is an
investigation on the extermination of Jews in Paris and its suburbs, carried out nowadays.
He then directed two documentaries for television: Is Dead (Incomplete Portrait of
Gertrud Stein) (1999), a free portrait of Gertrude Stain based on her autobiographic texts,
then Disneyland, My Old Native Land (2001), a nightmarish journey in the famous park.
His second feature, Adieu (2004), starring Michael Lonsdale, Aurore Clément, Olivier
Gourmet, paints the portrait of an unwelcoming France, indifferent to the fate of illegal
immigrants sent back to their home countries. Parc (2008), with Sergi Lopez and Jean-
Marc Barr, adapted from a novel of John Cheever, was selected to compete at the Venice
Mostra. Diane Wellington (2010), which screened in Venice, and American Dust (2011),
chosen to open the International Film Festival of Marseille, were born from American
archive images. Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas, with Mads Mikkelsen,
Bruno Ganz and Denis Lavant, adapted from a novel by German author Heinrich von
Kleist, was selected in the Cannes 2013 Official Competition. Orphan, with Adèle Haenel,
Adèle Exarchopoulos, Gemma Arterton and Solène Rigot is his fifth feature.
Arnaud des Pallières writes and edits the films he directs.

FILMOGRAPHY
2016 ORPHAN
2013 AGE OF UPRISING: THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL KOHLHAAS
2011 AMERICAN DUST (POUSSIERES D’AMERIQUE)
2010 DIANE WELLINGTON
2008 PARC
2004 ADIEU
2001 DISNEYLAND, MY OLD NATIVE LAND (DISNEYLAND, MON VIEUX PAYS NATAL)
(documentary)
1999 IS DEAD (INCOMPLETE PORTRAIT OF GERTRUD STEIN) (documentary)
1996 DRANCY AVENIR
1994 THE RED THINGS (LES CHOSES ROUGES) (short)
1993 BEFORE AFTER (AVANT APRÈS) (short)
1989 THE MEMORY OF AN ANGEL (LA MÉMOIRE D’UN ANGE) (short)
1988 GILLES DELEUZE: WHAT IS THE CREATIVE ACT? (short)
CHRISTELLE BERTHEVAS
SCREENWRITER’S BIOGRAPHY

Born in 1969, Christelle Berthevas taught literature and culture classes during several
years before training as a scriptwriter. After graduating from the European Conservatory
of Audiovisual Writing, she collaborated for the first time with Arnaud des Pallières on
Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (2013).
For Orphan, she provided the director with autobiographical material. Transforming her
testimony into fiction, the film follows the life story a modern woman. By exposing the
ways in which sexual identity – feminine as well as masculine – is attributed, the film
underlines the diverse ways in which to be a woman.
ADÈLE HAENEL
FLIMOGRAPHY

2016 ORPHAN by Arnaud des Pallières

2016 THE UNKNOWN GIRL by Luc and Jean-PierreDardenne

2016 THE FLOWERS OF YESTERDAY by Chris Kraus

2016 OGRES by Léa Fehner

2014 LOVE AT FIRST FIGHT by Thomas Cailley

2014 IN THE NAME OF MY DAUGHTER by André Téchiné

2013 SUZANNE by Katell Quillévéré

2012 ALIYAH by Elie Wajeman

2012 THREE WORLDS by Catherine Corsini

2011 HEAT WAVE by Jean Jacques Jauffret

2011 HOUSE OF TOLERENCE by Bertrand Bonello

2011 IRIS IN BLOOM by Valérie Mrejen

2007 WATER LILIES by Céline Sciamma

2002 THE DEVILS by Christophe Ruggia

ADÈLE EXARCHOPOULOUS
FLIMOGRAPHY

2016 ORPHAN by Arnaud des Pallières

2016 THE FAITHFUL by Michaël R. Roskam

2016 DOWN BY LOVE by Pierre Godeau

2015 THE ANARCHISTS by Elie Wajeman

2015 THE LAST FACE by Sean Penn

2014 INSECURE by Marianne Tardieu

2014 JOURNEY TO THE MOTHER by Mikhaïl Kosyrev-Neterov

2013 I USED TO BE DARKER by Matthew Porterfield

2013 BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR by Abdellatif Kechiche

2012 PIECES OF ME by Nolwenn Lemesle

2010 CARRE BLANC by Jean-Baptiste Leonetti

2009 THE ROUND UP by Rose Bosch

2009 TURK’S HEAD by Pascal Elbé

2008 GINO STORY by Samuel Benchetrit

2007 TROUBLE AT TIMPETILL by Nicolas Barry

2006 BOXES by Jane Birkin

SOLÈNE RIGOT
FLIMOGRAPHY

2016 ORPHAN by Arnaud des Pallières

2016 LA CONFESSION by Nicolas Boukhrief

2016 I WANT TO BE LIKE YOU by Konstantin Bojanov

2016 SAINT-AMOUR by Gustave Kerven and Benoit Delépine

2014 LES RÉVOLTÉS by Simon Leclere

2013 TONNERRE by Guillaume Brac

2013 LULU IN THE NUDE by Solveig Anspach

2013 THE GOOD LIFE by Jean Denizot

2013 PUPPY LOVE by Delphine Lehericey

2012 RENOIR by Gilles Bourdos

2011 17 GIRLS by Delphine and Muriel Coulin

2011 THE MOON CHILD by Delphine Gleize

GEMMA ARTERTON
FLIMOGRAPHY

2016 ORPHAN by Arnaud des Pallières

2016 THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by Colm McCarthy

2016 THE HISTORY OF LOVE by Radu Mihaileanu

2015 THE KEYS TO THE STREET by Julius Sevcik

2014 THE VOICES by Marjane Satrapi

2014 ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE KITCHEN by Alexander Williams

2014 GEMMA BOVERY by Anne Fontaine

2013 HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS by Tommy Wirkola

2013 PLAYERS by Brad Furman

2012 BYZANTIUM by Neil Jordan

2012 SONG FOR MARION by Paul Andrew Williams

2010 PRINCE OF PERSIA - LES SABLES DU TEMPS by Mike Newell

2010 TAMARA DREWE by Stephen Frears

2010 CLASH OF THE TITANS by Louis Leterrier

2009 GOOD MORNING ENGLAND by Richard Curtis

2009 ST TRINIAN'S 2 by Oliver Parker

2009 THE DISAPEARANCE OF ALICE CREED by J Blakeson

2008 THREE AND OUT by Jonathan Gershfield

2008 QUANTUM OF SOLACE by Marc Forster

2008 ROCK'N ROLLA by Guy Ritchie

2007 ST TRINIAN'S by Oliver Parker

JALIL LESPERT
FLIMOGRAPHY

2016 ORPHAN by Arnaud des Pallières

2015 IRIS by Jalil Lespert
2014 FIRST GROWTH by Jérôme Le Gris
2013 MARSEILLE by Olivier Panchot
2012 UNDER THE PINES by François Vives
2012 POST PARTUM by Delphine Noels
2011 LOVE AND BRUISES by Lou Ye
2010 A BUTTERFLY KISS by Karine Silla
2010 GINO STORY by Samuel Benchetrit
2008 BLACK OUT by Jean-Christophe Klotz
2007 CLOWN by Marco Pontecorvo
2005 TELL NO ONE by Guillaume Canet
2004 THE LAST MITTERRAND by Robert Guedignian
2004 VIRGIL by Mabourk El Mechri
2004 THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT by Xavier Beauvois
2003 L'ENNEMI NATUREL by Pierre Erwan Guillaume
2003 NOT ON THE LIPS by Alain Resnais
2002 THE AMATEURS by Martin Valente
2001 OEDIPUS (N+1) by Eric Rognard
2001 THE IDOL by Samantha Lang
2001 LIFE KILLS ME by Jean-Pierre Sinapi
2001 BELLA CIAO by Stéphane Guisti
2001 INCH'ALLAH SUNDAY by Yamina Benguigui
1999 SADE by Benoît Jacquot
1999 HUMAN RESSOURCES by Laurent Cantet
1998 A CONSIDERABLE DISTURBANCE by Bernard Stor
NICOLAS DUVAUCHELLE
FLIMOGRAPHY

2016 ORPHAN by Arnaud des Pallières

2016 JOUR J by Reem Kherici
2016 TOUT NOUS SÉPARE by Thierry Klifa
2016 DALIDA by Lisa Azuelos
2014 A DECENT MAN by Emmanuel Finkiel
2014 ORDINARY VICTORIES by Laurent Tuel
2014 THE ENDLESS RIVER by Oliver Hermanus
2013 BODYBUILDER by Roschdy Zem
2012 NOW OR NEVER by Serge Frydman
2012 WELCOME TO ARGENTINA by Edouard Deluc
2011 JUST LIKE BROTHERS by Hugo Gelin
2010 ON AIR by Pierre Pinaud
2010 POLISS by Maiwenn
2010 THE WELL-DIGGER’S DAUGHTER by Daniel Auteuil
2010 HIS MOTHER’S EYES by Thierry Klifa
2009 FOUR LOVERS by Anthony Cordier
2009 STRETCH by Charles de Meaux
2008 WILD GRASS by Alain Resnais
2008 THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN by André Téchiné
2008 THE BLONDE WITH BARE BREASTS by Manuel Pradal
2007 WHITE MATERIAL by Claire Denis
2006 APRIL IN LOVE by Gérald Hustache-Mathieu
2006 HELL by Bruno Chiche
2006 LE GRAND MEAULNES by Jean-Daniel Verhaege
2004 UNE AVENTURE by Xavier Giannoli
2003 SNOWBOARDER by Olias Barco
2003 EAGER BODIES by Xavier Giannoli
2003 LIGHTWEIGHT by Jean-Pierre Ameris
2003 RIGHT NOW by Benoit Jacquot
2000 TROUBLE EVERYDAY by Claire Denis
SERGI LOPEZ
FLIMOGRAPHY

2016 ORPHAN by Arnaud des Pallières

2015 EN AMONT DU FLEUVE by Marion Hansel
2014 TWO ON THE MENU by Robert Bellsola
2014 SECOND ORIGIN by Carles Porta
2014 HIGH SOCIETY Julie Lopes Curval
2014 THE MAD KINGS Laurent Laffargue
2014 21 NIGHTS WITH PATTIE by Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu
2014 THE NEXT SKIN by Isaki Lacuesta
2013 TENDERNESS by Marion Hansel
2013 TURF by Fabien Onteniente
2013 GERONIMO by Tony Gatlif
2013 ISMAEL by Marcelo Pineyro
2013 DYING BEYOND THEIR MEANS by Isaki Lacuesta
2013 EL NINO by Daniel Monzon
2012 DUBAÏ FLAMINGO by Delphine Kreuter
2011 AGE OF UPRISING: THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL KOHLHAAS by Arnaud des Pallières
2011 TANGO LIBRE by Frédéric Fonteyne
2010 GINO STORY by Samuel Benchetrit
2010 THE PREY by Eric Valette
2010 THE MONK by Dominik Moll
2009 LITTLE INDI by Marc Recha
2009 A MAP OF SOUNDS OF TOKYO by Isabel Coixet
2009 METTING WITH AN ANGEL by Yves Thomas and Sophie Darruvar
2009 LEAVING by Catherine Corsini
2009 RICKY by François Ozon
2009 THE BOAT RACE by Bernard Bellefroid
2009 POTICHE by François Ozon
2008 HAPPY END by Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu
2007 THE HOUSE by Manuel Poirier
2007 PARC by Arnaud des Pallières
2005 PAN’S LABYRINTH by Guillermo del Toro
2004 THE PAINT OR MAKE LOVE by Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu
2003 BYWAYS by Manuel Poirier
2003 THE RED KNIGHT by Hélène Angel
2003 DIRTY PRETTY THINGS by Stephen Frears
2003 JANIS AND JOHN by Samuel Benchetrit
2003 WORDS IN BLUE by Alain Corneau
2002 JET LAG by Danièle Thompson
2002 HYPNOTIZED AND HYSTERICAL (HAIRSTYLIST WANTED) by Claude Duty
2002 WOMEN OR CHILDREN FIRST by Manuel Poirier
2001 THE MILK OF HUMAN KINDNESS by Dominique Cabrera
2001 A HELL OF A DAY by Marion Vernoux
2001 TE QUIERO by Manuel Poirier
2001 MINE ALONE by Javier Balaguer
2001 HAPPY MEN by Roberto Santiago
2001 TEN DAYS WITHOUT LOVE by Miguel Albaladejo
2000 TOREROS by Eric Barbier
2000 HARRY, HE’S HERE TO HELP by Dominik Moll
1999 EMPTY DAYS by Marion Vernoux
1999 A PORNOGRAPHIC AFFAIR by Frédéric Fonteyne
1999 TO DIE (OR NOT) by Ventura Pons
1999 ARDE, AMOR by Raul Veiga
1998 THE NEW EVE by Catherine Corsini
1998 BETWEEN YOUR LEGS by Manuel Gomez Pereira
1997 WESTERN by Manuel Poirier
1997 MARION by Manuel Poirier
1997 LISBON by Antonio Hernandez
1996 CARESES by Ventura Pons
1994 IN THE COUNTRY by Manuel Poirier
1994 ATTENTION FRAGILE by Manuel Poirier
1992 ANTONIO’S GIRLFRIEND by Manuel Poirier
1988 EMPRESONADES by P. Puig
1983 CLONICA by Alejandro Soler
 CAST

RENEE Adèle Haenel

SANDRA Adèle Exarchopoulos

KARINE Solène Rigot

KIKI Véga Cuzytek

DARIUS Jalil Lespert

TARA Gemma Arterton

KIKI’S FATHER Nicolas Duvauchelle

MAURICE Sergi Lopez

FRIEND OF KIKI’S FATHER Karim Leklou

LEV Robert Hunger-Bühler

 CREW

DIRECTED BY Arnaud des Pallières

SCREENPLAY AND DIALOGUES Christelle Berthevas
Arnaud des Pallières
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Yves Cape AFC SBC
SOUND Brigitte Taillandier
SET DESIGN Guillaume Deviercy
COSTUMES Nathalie Raoul
MAKE UP Michel Vautier
CASTING Sarah Teper
Leila Fournier
PRODUCTION MANAGER Nicolas Picard
EDITING Emilie Orsini
Arnaud des Pallières
Guillaume Lauras
MIXING Mélissa Petitjean

PRODUCTION LES FILMS HATARI - Michel Klein

LES FILMS D’ICI - Serge Lalou

A coproduction Les Films Hatari, Les Films d'Ici, Arte France Cinéma and Rhône Alpes
Cinéma. With the participation of Le Pacte. In association with Cinémage 5 & 10, Indéfilms
4 and Cinéventure. With the participation of Canal +, Ciné + and Arte France – unité
Cinéma. With the support of Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée, Ile-de-
France, Rhone-Alpes, Strasbourg Eurométropole, Basse Normandie, Procirep-Angoa,
Media - Program of the European Union.